DOVE card..(inside joke!)

Well, if you are a long-term member of Scrappin' In Toledo, then you will appreciate my Christmas "dove" card! LOL... SO, how does this card rate on the "Dove Scale?"

I do love the simple elegance of this stamp set, "A Wish for Peace." Touches of versamarker then white EP give the tree a snow-laced look then I added lots of sparkle with Dazzling Diamonds SU! glitter and finally a few crystals at the corners. I then decided that the crystals would be a waste since most of the persons these cards are going to would not appreciate that detail and most of these cards are going to spend new years in a trash bin. Instead, I've added holographic sequence and they look just as nice.

Season's Greetings to you &
a wish for all your hand-made holiday projects to come along nicely!!

8x8 Calendar L/O Swap

Here is August...
I used my Stampin' Around Wheel, "Swirly" all around as a border in a versamark inked cartridge, then embossed using a mixture of 3 parts clear EP/ 1 part dazzling diamonds. The effect is VERY sparkly! I used dazzling diamonds on some of the flowers, but soon got sick of all that dang glitter going everywhere...that stuff is sooooo fine and staticky, it was EVERYWHERE, OMG!!!
Flowers are "Ginormous Flowers." I love that set...so much fun to play with :O) I thought I'd be clever and myter the corners with my wheel, it was taking WAY too long and it was a real PITA! Did not look half as good as it should have for the time and effort I was putting into these layouts so the last 2 out of the 4 I tossed the myter idea!
Soon to follow; I still have to photograph my February layout from last month.

Wet Paper Watercoloring ( or; what to do with those lovely two-step stamping nature sets)

...so easy, but SERIOUSLY... it took a dozen attempts to get the look I was reaching for!

You can find more information on this technique here: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/wetpaperwatercoloring.php

How I did it;
I sprayed a peace of water color paper with a water mister to make it slightly damp. Next I inked my background stamp (with dye ink) and sprayed the stamp lightly with the water....stamp/repeat. I let the paper dry then stamped with the outline stamps.

Stamp sets used: Wonderful You, Itty Bitty Backgrounds

Inks: bordering blue, brocade blue, night of navy

paper: night of navy, naturals white and bordering blue cardstock; water color paper

SU! contest submissions

"Wish me luck!"



Here are my latest creations that I submitted to Stampin' Up! for this month's art contest catagories;




"Need a Little Christmas"
Another "joy fold" card. I love these cards! Dazzling Diamonds glitzes up the poinsettia and star a bit.



"WOW! Art File-US"



I paper pieced the MOST HATED stamp set I own (I still think it's CUTE!)





I submitted the card on the left and kept the card on the right. Do they look familiar? I CASED my own design! check out my Sock Monkey pillow box....




"Say it with Scallops"




A little plain, but I've noticed that it isnt the "flashiest" of the cards that usually win.



I do love the simple, clean elegance of this card. I should have made a few extra :O(

Peaceful Blue Silhouette

My "Silhouette" SU! contest entry (top left card)

"Upsy Daisy" looks so peacful in "not quite navy" and "baja breeze" don't you think? You can tell from the pictures, but I added some Versamarker to the petals of the flowers then inked them in the "not quite navy", stamp then emboss in Iricescent Ice Stampin' Emboss Powder.

I used Canvas background as well... stamped it off once to lighten the effect.

Happy Birhtday Louis

My little baby turned 4!
I didn't get hugely creative, but I did manage to come up with
some cute thank you treat bags
The stamp set I used, By Land is retired but the numbers, Well-Worn Numbers is still available. Those are "4's" in the back of the dump truck. My motivation is the dump truck is bringing a load of 4's in to fill the gap between the 3 & 5 (on the bottom of the bag.)

Cardstock is cheap stuff...

I plan on having a tutorial on how to make the bag topper soon!

Latest Paper Projects

3-D project: Fresh Cuts Birdhouse

This needs some fine-tuning, but I do love the overall result of this cute project.

I used SU! KRAFT cardstock and
sahara sand with a small swatch of

chocolate chip around the opening.
Stamp sets: Fresh Cuts and Dreams du Jour
Accessories: gold brads, sugar dust (not SU!), 1"circle punch, scallop circle punch,
1 -1/4" circle punch

Joy Fold....I think they call it that because they are so easy yet so unique!

Stamps: Dreams du Jour

Inks: pink pirouette, chocolate chip,& kiwi kiss

Cardstock: pink pirouette, chocolate chip, very vanilla, kiwi kiss Accessories: 1-1/4" square punch, scallop edge punch

I love 3-D projects...don't you?

Little purses are always a charmer, especially when you use the darling little stamp sets Dreams du Jour and Fresh Cuts by SU!.

I used INN COLORS pink pirouette, kiwi kiss & baja breeze by SU! with some whisper white and chocolate chip (can I create WITHOUT chocolate chip??)

Some Accessories used: gold brad, circle punches, SU! Dazzling Diamonds glitter, crimper & hemp twine.

Everyone keeps telling me

"I HATE sock monkies!"

REALLY?? (*sigh*)

well, I was never in love with them,

but I really like this stamp set and

I plan on getting the "Sock Monkey Accessories" to go along with it.

I know i do LOVE the new in-color "kiwi kiss" by SU! and I think this set and the colors sure did make a cute little pillow box (**patting self on back**)
Well, it could be the clever use of paper piecing on the monkey or perhaps the touches of Dazzling Diamonds glitter, or maybe the "My Way" punch that helped to make this box so adorable... or maybe it was just good ol' fashion, pure talent? (**GRIN**)

First picture/posts

Well, here are my first uploads. (I know...BORING, but I hope to add more and better projects SOON!) Keep checking back to see what's new :O)

My "wishing you happiness" card was inspired by anotherstamper, view her card HERE (my card pales in comparison!) The cardstock I used is not SU! and I noticed significant quality issues. I experienced buckling and wrinkling of the paper at the fold seam and the carstock did not hold glue well which caused some wrinkling (the kind you get when paper gets damp.)

Stamp sets used: Priceless, Heard from the Heart, So Swirly (wheel)- Inks: creamy caramel, chocolate chip & pink passion -Accessories: Crystal Effects (on butterflies for a lacquered look)

This sympathy card was created with all SU! supplies.

Stamps used: Close as a Memory & Watercolor Vine (wheel) - Inks: not quite navy & chocolate chip - Cardstock: tempting turquise, taken with teal, shara sand, chocolate chip, naturals ivory- Accessories: ticket corner punch, gold brads.